Skip to main content

Timber Cladding Buyer’s Guide: 4 Key Things To Consider

3 min read

Happynest Thermo Ayous Coal Natural

Like the architectural look of timber cladding, but not sure where to start when planning a new project?

In this blog, Sales Director Nick walks through the four key things you need to consider when buying timber cladding: appearance, orientation, profile and length specification.

1. Appearance: grade and finishes

Would you prefer the clean and contemporary look, free of knots? A clear-grade species like western red cedar or Thermo-ayous might be up your street.

Silvercrow Thermo Ayous Shadow Gap Cladding 12

View project: Thermo-ayous with its clear-grade, knot-free appearance

Or are you after some characterful boards with a prominent grain and plenty of knots? Take a look at a product like Thermo-Nordic pine

Coated Cedar and Black Thermo-Nordic Pine Cladding - Patio Canopy 4

View project: Thermo-Nordic pine ‘charred look’ vertical cladding with its characterful, knotty grain

When it comes to appearance, consider how the timber cladding naturally changes colour over time. 

It’s possible to allow the wood to weather naturally, so that it gradually attains those distinguished grey tones. This process starts becoming noticeable at around six months of exposure to sunlight.

Siberian Larch A Grade Un Coated 2
Without treatment, over time wood cladding weathers to a stunning silvery-grey

You could give the wood a natural treatment to retain its original appearance for as long as possible.

Or, you might also want to choose a factory treatment to give a distinctive colour or style – such as pre-greying, black charred effect, or another type of coating, like those from Teknoclad below.

Teknoclad iii

View project: coated cladding in Teknoclad’s ‘Stone Grey’

To help you make up your mind on appearance, we’ve written a guide to cladding colours and a breakdown of the various treatments available.

2. Orientation: vertical or horizontal

Vertical cladding, particularly with a narrow board or in a shadow gap profile, is a particularly contemporary choice.

Cedar Cladding Home Upstyle
Weathered Cedar House Cladding

Horizontal fittings tend to be associated with a traditional, timeless feel – but without feeling dated.

20170426 7

View project: Big Howie's summerhouse bar

Reddish Brown Cladding 3

View project: Horizontal western red cedar coated house cladding

If you’re not sure which you prefer, check out our article containing vertical and horizontal cladding project inspiration.

3. Profile: shadow gap, V groove, ‘open’

Profile determines how the cladding boards fit together. It can have a surprisingly big effect on the look of the finished project.

One particularly popular option for an architectural look is shadow gap. As the name suggests, once installed, the distinctive 1cm gaps in between installed boards create shadows which change during the day.

Western Red Cedar Shadow Gap Garden Room

View project: western red cedar vertical cladding with a shadow gap profile

Happy Nest Homes A Mc Intosh Photo 06

View project: Thermo-ayous vertical shadow gap cladding coated in Chartex Coal and Colourflex Natural

For a more subtle, clean and uniform (yet no less modern) touch, tongue and groove V-joint is a classy choice. The boards butt together to form a smart, flatter ‘V’ shape.

Cedar DTC3 A

View project: western red cedar cladding in our V-groove DTC3 profile

For something much more different and design-led, you might want to take a look at square edged open cladding, mixed width cladding or even rainscreen (or ‘splayed’) cladding.

Then, for the ultimate traditional, rural-inspired profile, look no further than featheredge.

Special RAL 5014 Ayous Cladding DTC25 2

View project: horizontal featheredge RAL 5014 Thermo-ayous cladding

4. Length: avoid waste and keep control of costs

Be precise with length specification. This is especially the case if your cladding is vertical, in order to minimise visible seams and ensure a visually appealing, continuous run.

To help you know what lengths you need, we’ve written a quick guide to measuring up your cladding project.

Start your cladding project today

When it comes to selecting the perfect cladding product for your project, we’re with you every step of the way.

Explore our range of quality timber cladding products. For project inspiration, take a look at our case studies.

Whether you know exactly what you’re after or you’d appreciate some guidance from our expert team, get in touch today.

Contact us today

Ready to start your project?

Join our mailing list

Sign up to our mailing list to receive the latest updates, discounts and articles.